Hydrangea plant named ‘H216907’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘H216907’, characterized by its upright and rounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate; freely branching habit with strong, thick and sturdy stems; early, freely and uniformly flowering habit; mophead-type inflorescences with numerous light red purple-colored sterile flowers; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea macrophylla.

Cultivar denomination: ‘H216907’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea macrophylla, commercially referred to as a mophead-type Hydrangea and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘H216907’.

The new Hydrangea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new freely-branching Hydrangea plants with strong sturdy stems, large inflorescences with numerous showy sterile flowers, attractive sterile flower color and good postproduction longevity.

The new Hydrangea plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2011 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Hydrangea macrophylla identified as code number 00-0021-000, also known as ‘Moritzburg’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Hydrangea macrophylla identified as code number 03-0134-055, also known as ‘Royal Navy’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Hydrangea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands in March, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hydrangea plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands since June, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘H216907’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘H216907’ as a new and distinct Hydrangea plant:

-   -   1. Upright and rounded plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.     -   3. Freely branching habit with strong, thick and sturdy stems.     -   4. Early, freely and uniformly flowering habit.     -   5. Mophead-type inflorescences with numerous light red         purple-colored sterile flowers.     -   6. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in reaction to aluminum sulfate treatment as sterile flower sepals of plants of the new Hydrangea treated with aluminum sulfate become violet blue in color whereas sterile flower sepals of plants of the female parent selection treated with aluminum sulfate maintain their “non-blued” color. Plants of the new Hydrangea have light red purple-colored sterile flowers whereas plants of the female parent selection have pink-colored sterile flowers. In addition, plants of the new Hydrangea are not as compact as and have larger leaves than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Hydrangea are more compact than plants of the male parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Hydrangea have larger leaves than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the Hydrangea hybrida ‘Agrihydravijf’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,731. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of ‘Agrihydravijf’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Panicles of plants of the new Hydrangea are slightly         flattened and somewhat shorter than panicles of plants of         ‘Agrihydravijf’.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea have more sterile flowers per         inflorescence than plants of ‘Agrihydravijf’.     -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea have sterile flower sepal margins         that are entire whereas sterile flower sepal margins of plants         of ‘Agrihydravijf’ are serrate to dentate.     -   4. Plants of the new Hydrangea have darker red purple-colored         sterile flower sepals than plants of ‘Agrihydravijf’.     -   5. When “blued”, plants of the new Hydrangea have darker violet         blue-colored sterile flower sepals than plants of         ‘Agrihydravijf’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new Hydrangea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘H216907’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘H216907’ that has been “blued”, that is, treated with aluminum sulfate.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘H216907’ that has not been “blued”.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown during the spring in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Hydrangea production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 17° C. Plants of the new Hydrangea were exposed to a cold (2° to 8° C.) temperature treatment for 6 weeks to break flower bud dormancy. Plants of the new Hydrangea were pinched one time and were ten months old when the photographs and description were taken. Plants of the new Hydrangea can be successfully treated with aluminum sulfate to “blue” the inflorescences. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea macrophylla ‘H216907’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea             macrophylla identified as code number 00-0021-000, also             known as ‘Moritzburg’, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hydrangea             macrophylla identified as code number 03-0134-055, also             known as ‘Royal Navy’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Thick; typically whitish brown in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and rounded plant habit;             strong and sturdy stems; moderate growth rate and vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm to 40 cm.         -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 30 cm to 40 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; when pinched, about             six to eight lateral branches develop per plant.         -   Length.—About 25 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm to 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 3 cm to 4 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; fully developed, woody.         -   Aspect.—Upright to about 20° from vertical.         -   Strength.—Strong, sturdy.         -   Color.—When developing: Close to 144C; at internodes, close             to 187B; lenticels, close to 187A. Developed: Close to 144B;             at the internodes, close to 187B; when woody, close to 177C;             lenticels, close to 187A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 11 cm.         -   Width.—About 6 cm to 8 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Dentate to serrate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth to rugose, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Rugose, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface:             Close to 147A; venation, close to 145B. Developing and fully             developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D; venation,             close to 145C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 cm to 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm             to 4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 145B. Color, lower             surface: Close to 145C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Showy sterile flowers and small             inconspicuous fertile flowers arranged on mophead-type             terminal panicles; panicles globular and slightly flattened             in shape; flowers face upright to outwardly depending on             their position in the inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants             begin flowering about 41 to 60 weeks after planting;             flowering begins in the early summer and is continuous             throughout the summer in Northern Europe.         -   Flower longevity.—Fertile flowers last about one month on             the plant, fertile flowers not persistent; sterile flowers             last about four months on the plant, sterile flowers             persistent.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 40 to 50             fertile flowers per panicle and about 140 sterile flowers             per panicle.         -   Panicle height.—About 9 cm to 11 cm.         -   Panicle diameter.—About 16 cm to 20 cm.         -   Fertile flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Shape: Rounded. Color: Close to 144D.         -   Sterile flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Shape: Rounded. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Fertile flower diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Fertile flower depth (height).—About 2 mm.         -   Sterile flower diameter.—About 3.5 cm to 4 cm.         -   Sterile flower depth (height).—About 1 cm.         -   Petals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a             single whorl. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm.             Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145C. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D; color does             not change with development.         -   Petals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: About             four in a single whorl. Length: About 1.5 mm. Width: About             1 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             155D; when “blued”, close to 145C. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 155D; when “blued”, close to 145C;             colors do not change with development.         -   Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a             single whorl. Length: About 2.5 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm.             Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145C. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155C; color does             not change with development.         -   Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Four to             five in a single whorl. Length: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Width:             About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 145D; when “blued”, close to 91C. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 68B; when “blued”, close to             96C; colors do not change with development. Fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 62B; when “blued”, close to 96C;             colors do not change with development.         -   Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter:             About 1 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 155D.         -   Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Length: About 2 cm to 2.5 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:             Erect to about 45° from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 73D.         -   Reproductive organs, fertile flowers only; sterile flowers             without reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower:             Eight. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to             155D. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Conical.             Anther color: Close to 145D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 155D. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower:             Three. Pistil length: About 3 mm. Stigma shape: Oval. Stigma             color: Close to 155B. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color:             Close to 155B. Ovary color: Close to 155B.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per fertile flower: About 20 to 30. Length:             About 0.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.1 mm. Color: Close to 200C. -   Disease & pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions,     plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed to be resistant     to pathogens and pests common to Hydrangea plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 3° C. to about 38°     C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘H216907’ as illustrated and described. 